Glorious sunshine and an amazing selection of vintage vehicles took the annual Swanage Carnival Classic Motor Show in Dorset to new heights.
Swanage’s Main Beach car park was packed on Sunday 27th April 2025 as the carnival committee hosted the motor show for the third consecutive year, and drew a bumper crowd.
Bob Underwood with Mowgli, the MG TF Midget which was found in the jungles of Borneo in 1968, full of snakes and rusting away
Discovered in the Borneo jungle
Hundreds of people were enthralled by some of the most iconic cars, from Morris Minors to Jaguar E Types, and including the UK’s only MGB pickup truck and an MG Midget which was discovered in the Borneo jungle full of snakes.
Although the show has been organised and run by Swanage Carnival since 2023 as a curtain raiser to main summer programme, its history goes back almost 30 years and has become a major and much loved event in the Swanage calendar.
Local resident and classic car lover Jenny Lazenby, who began the show as a fundraiser for local charities and ran it until 2022, was back at the event this year to enjoy the spectacle, which is supported by car clubs right across Dorset.
She was delighted by the continued success of the show and said that she was thrilled the event could continue to raise money for important local charities far into the future.
The 2025 show was sponsored by Moonfleet Cars, Langdale Boundary and estate agents Hull Gregson Hull.
A public vote to decide best car in show was awarded to Roger Leslie and his Aston Martin, with Robert Burrows’ Porsche in second place and a Vauxhall Cresta owned by Ian Higham coming in third.
Jenny Lazenby and Jeff Soulsby, organisers past and present of the Classic Motor Show
Wonderful turnout to start the season
One of the show’s current organisers, Jeff Soulsby said:
“We took over from Jenny Lazenbury, who set up the Swanage Classic Car Show in 1996 to raise vital funds for charities and support her interest in classic cars.
“It went from strength to strength over the years and raised thousands of pounds for local good causes. In 2022, Jenny was helped to run the show by Culvin Milmer and his son Eddie, and together they agreed for the classic car show to become a Swanage Carnival event.
“So we took over the organisation and continued the fund raising focus by donating proceeds to good causes – we have the resources of the carnival to manage it and thanks to Swanage Town Council we are allowed to use the main beach car park to stage it.
“We can also support other charities who have their own stands here to raise funds for themselves and spread the word about what they do. With around 100 vintage cars and vehicles on show, and some lovely weather, we have had a wonderful turnout to start the 2025 season in the best way.”
Meet Rita, a Ford Zephyr Mk 2 Lowline with original 1950s Venetian window blind, sun visor and white wall tyres
“Excitement will start to mount”
Jeff added:
“This is the first big event of the year for Swanage Carnival, and really it is the start of the summer events season for the town as well.
“All funds raised go into the Swanage Carnival kitty and at the end of the year we are able to give away many thousands of pounds to local charities and organisations – last year, it was more than £30,000.
“Excitement will start to mount as Carnival Week starts getting closer – the Swanage Carnival app, sponsored by Purbeck Ice Cream, has just gone live and is ready for people to download.
“Swanage carnival has become one of the biggest events on the South coast, run entirely by volunteers with no paid staff – but we all love what we do so much!”
Waiting for an opportunity to get behind the wheel of this eyecatching Jaguar E-Type
Sorry, pal, you’ll just have to stay in the passenger seat this time…
“Fantastic attraction for our carnival”
Secretary of Swanage Carnival, Kevin Langdon said:
“The Classic Car Motor Show is a wonderful fund raising event, and also a great opportunity to let everyone know about the carnival that’s taking place this year over eight days from Saturday 26th July to Saturday 2nd August 2025.
“We choose a different theme for the carnival every year and this time it is Cirque Du Swanage, with some incredible circus acts, street performers and live music to add to the usual fun-packed events – there are 108 of those organised for 2025!
“We were delighted to get the world famous Red Arrows for the opening day, which is a fantastic attraction for our carnival and a major boost for the town.
“The sponsorship for the airshow has come from a couple who have been holidaying in Swanage for over 50 years, with family living here, and who have always said that if we ever got the Red Arrows to come along, they would pay for it.”
Swanage Carnival staff with Ian Higham, who took third place in the public vote for best car in show
Ian Higham with his Vauxhall Cresta, voted third best in the show
“Grateful for decades of memories”
Kevin added:
“They told us that they were grateful for decades of wonderful memories and wanted to give something back to the place that means so much to them – a celebration of Swanage Carnival and the wonderful community that makes it happen year after year.
“They wanted to remain anonymous, but we wanted to let people know about their generous gesture.
“When we heard that we had been successful in persuading the Red Arrows to come to Swanage, after the Bournemouth Air Show fell through, we didn’t quite know what the family would say, but they were just like, send us the invoice!
“It will be a true honour to have the Red Arrows along on the first day of the carnival, along with another air display in the afternoon, as well as the fire engine pull, a steamship circus up on the field, the Black Eagles acrobats, fireworks in the evening and the big procession the next day – Swanage will be heaving for the weekend!”
This little Italian job proved you don’t need to be big nor flashy to be a classic car
A Ford Twin Beam 100 from the Desert Nutz Garage in Arizona
As with so many of the classic cars, everything was in perfect shape under the bonnet
An MGB GT, built in 1971 and converted into a pickup truck in 1974, a one of a kind registered with the DVLA
Turning a few heads at the show was this Chrysler Plymouth, as used during World War Two to transport movie stars to front line shows
Many cars transported crowds back to mid 20th century – anyone for tennis?
Among a section of working vans was this Austin now used by a business repairing brass instruments
Herston Village Hall was among several groups fundraising for their own charities
Further information
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